Black Friday is just a couple days away and to make sure Floridians have a safe and enjoyable shopping experience, I am releasing my 2017 Holiday Consumer Protection Guide. As Floridians prepare their holiday shopping lists, they should also take steps to protect their financial information. This guide is full of tips to help shoppers avoid identity theft and scams. It also includes safety information about children’s gifts, so parents can do their research before Black Friday and Cyber Monday.

The holidays are a time to be especially mindful of ways purchases can cost more than expected. Whether going to a large department store or shopping online, there are steps Floridians can take to safeguard against identity theft, product scams and other fraudulent activity. This guide provides consumer tips for avoiding such fraudsters.

The safety of children is also of the upmost priority, and that is why the guide includes a list of items recalled by the U.S. Consumer Products Safety Commission in the past year, specifically focusing on children’s toys and items that pose a particular risk to kids and teens. To read my Holiday Consumer Protection Guide, click here.

If a consumer has any questions on product recalls or any other issues discussed in this guide, contact my Citizens Services hotline at 866-9-NO-SCAM or visit MyFloridaLegal.com.

I wish all a Happy Thanksgiving! While we celebrate with our family and friends, let us remember all of the blessings we enjoy every day.

2017 Fraud Fighter Achievement Award Winner
Attorney General Pam Bondi congratulates Chris M. Presley for winning the Agency for Health Care Administration’s 2017 Fraud Fighter Achievement Award. Presley, a Law Enforcement Investigator with Attorney General Bondi’s Medicaid Fraud Control Unit, uncovered an orchestrated Medicaid fraud scheme that billed AHCA nearly $300,000 for services never rendered. The investigation led to the prosecution of Gregory Campbell and his co-defendants, resulting in an order of $460,000 in restitution and a 30-month prison sentence.

The Fraud Fighter Achievement Award recognizes an individual, team or entity whose efforts stop fraud strengthens integrity in health care while supporting AHCA’s mission of providing better health care for all Floridians. Attorney General Bondi congratulates Presley and thanks him for his continued servicing fighting fraud and protecting Floridians. More.

Florida crime down in the first half of 2017

Crime continues to fall across Florida according to the 2017 Semi-Annual Uniform Crime Report. The report shows Florida’s crime volume dropped two percent or roughly 6,300 fewer reported index crimes compared to the first six months of 2016.

“Throughout my career I have worked closely with our brave law enforcement officers, and the continued decline in Florida’s crime rate is a testament to their hard work, dedication and sacrifice,” said Attorney General Bondi. “I want to thank all of our law enforcement officers and our state prosecutors for their continued success fighting crime and protecting Floridians.” More.

Attorney General Pam Bondi is reminding consumers who rented a car from Avis, Budget or Payless between Jan. 1, 2010 to July 10, 2017 and were charged for e-Toll services to file a claim before the January deadline. The deadline to submit a claim is Jan. 7, 2018. Refund checks will be mailed in March 2018 to eligible claimants wrongfully charged for e-Toll services. For more information about the claims process and to access the claim form, click here.

In July this year, Attorney General Bondi’s Office reached a settlement with Avis Budget Car Rental System, LLC, which owns Avis, Budget and Payless. More.

Events

Attorney General Pam Bondi wishes a Happy Birthday to a great American, the beautiful Hazel Henderson, who turned 102 on Monday!

If you know a public employee that has shown initiative to help their agency and taxpayers, consider nominating the employee for the Prudential Productivity Awards. The nominations window is open until Dec. 31, 2017. The Prudential Productivity Awards program has been recognizing hardworking state employees for 29 years that have either developed an innovative new process that saves taxpayer money, improved the quality and speed of our interactions with the public or showed great initiative in tackling a problem to help our constituents. For more information, visit PPA.FloridaTaxWatch.org.